Reds shopping SS, part ways with Valdez and Bray

FOX reporter Jon Paul Morosi reports the Reds are drawing considerable interest at the winter GM meetings in CA, since many teams are looking for a shortstop. Jocketty confirmed with Morosi that the Reds would be willing to part with either Zack Cozart or Didi Gregorius, the two shortstops on the Reds 40-man roster, if the return is right.

The Reds have two talented shortstops on their 40-man roster: Zack Cozart, 27, and Didi Gregorius, 22. Both are far away from free agency, meaning one could be dealt to fill a more immediate need. In fact, Jocketty told FOXSports.com Thursday that it’s possible he will trade one of them this winter. “It depends if we get back what we need,” Jocketty said. “If we don’t, then I won’t mind holding onto them.” Cozart was the Reds’ everyday shortstop this year, but Gregorius was impressive in a September cameo.

Mark Polishuk at MLBTR speculates that Gregorius may have already replaced Cozart in the eyes of the organization:

Cozart was the Reds’ everyday shortstop in 2012, hitting .246/.288/.399 in an even 600 plate appearances and showing above-average glovework (a +9.0 UZR/150) in his first full Major League season. The 27-year-old Cozart was ranked as the 75th-best prospect in the game by Baseball America before the season, though he may have already been replaced by a newer model, as Jocketty considers the 22-year-old Gregorius to be “an everyday player…It’s just a question of when and how we manage it.” Gregorius, a native of Amsterdam, has a .699 OPS in five minor league seasons.

Speculation centers on the Reds receiving in return either an established closer, which would allow the organization to (finally!) accomplish the reported move of Aroldis Chapman to the starting rotation, or an outfielder who would be able to lead-off. Morosi lists the Oakland A’s, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Tampa Bay Rays as possible matches.

The Oakland A’s are a potential trade partner, because of their need at shortstop and deep stable of relievers. Oakland also has a surplus of outfielders, including veteran leadoff man Coco Crisp. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays also are interested in acquiring a shortstop this winter. Arizona (Adam Eaton/Gerardo Parra) and Minnesota (Denard Span/Ben Revere) have leadoff hitters to spare.

In other roster news, the Reds have parted ways with utility infielder Wilson Valdez and left-handed relief pitcher, Bill Bray.

Wilson Valdez (34) came to the Reds last year from the Phillies in a trade for left-handed relief pitcher, Jeremy Horst. Among the 347 major league players with more than 200 plate appearances Valdez (.206/.236/.227) finished dead last in OPS (JoeyMVP finished first). In 32 games with the Phillies, Horst (27) compiled a 11.5 K/9, 1.15 ERA and 2.39 FIP. In what can only be seen now as a terrible trade, Horst finished the year with a bWAR of .8 and Valdez with a -1.8 bWAR (yes, negative). It’s hard to say which was worse, the trade itself or that Valdez remained with the team all year.

Bill Bray (29) came to the Reds in the 2006 trade that sent Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez to the Washington Nationals. Over six seasons and 239 appearances for the Reds, Bray has struggled to stay healthy, missing the entire 2009 season and almost all of 2012. When on the mound, Bray was a solid (3.72 ERA), but not spectacular lefty match-up pitcher.

85 thoughts on “Reds shopping SS, part ways with Valdez and Bray”

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Didi or Cozart (Kevin Towers’ choice) for Adam Eaton. I’m completely on board if WJ pulls that trigger. I would also defer to WJ’s judgement in a trade for Revere if he went in that direction. I can’t see either Didi or Cozart landing Parra or Span and Coco doesn’t interest me at all.

Didi or Cozart (Kevin Towers’ choice) for Adam Eaton.I’m completely on board if WJ pulls that trigger.I would also defer to WJ’s judgement in a trade for Revere if he went in that direction.I can’t see either Didi or Cozart landing Parra or Span and Coco doesn’t interest me at all.

It’s so nice to see WJ dealing from a position of strength this off season as opposed to last off season. Last off season, the Reds HAD to have a front line starter to add to their rotation and the market was very limited. The available FA were not worth the investment and there were really only two viable trade candidates on the market. The Nats got one and the reds got the other, but both teams had to pay dearly in the trades. This off season, the Reds have needs to address, but they are not nearly as critical as last off season and are more easily addressed. Now the Reds have chips to play that are coveted by a lot of other teams, a starting SS and a SP.

What did I tell you all yesterday in the Aroldis story? WJ is set to deal. They said on MLB yesterday, that because of the new CBA rules that some free agents that normally sign after Thanksgiving and into Dec. would be signing early, between these small GM meetings and the Dec. 3-6 GM meetings. So some early hot stove news may be coming our way in the coming days and weeks. Go get your man or men WJ. I think Ben Revere is high on WJ’s list as I mentioned yesterday. And the Rays are mentioned above as I have mentioned many times, they are matched up as an excellent trading partner based on both teams’ needs. Evan Longoria possibly??

I’m totally down with Eaton for Cozart or Didi–pass on Revere. I would caution that dealing one of our shortstops will leave us vulnerable from a depth standpoint. Also, don’t expect Didi to hit initially. While the bat speed is there, the most you can expect early on will be Pokey Reese type numbers.

Still, Eaton+Didi > Stubbs+Cozart.

My preference would be a cost controlled position player who gets on base. No need to trade for a reliever since the market is flooded witth them.

Man, could you imagine Hamilton/Eaton/Bruce patrolling the outfield together? That would be scary good defensively, and SuperTodd would play third.

Question is, would you take that outfield over an outfield with Ludwick or Wiggington in it?

Man, could you imagine Hamilton/Eaton/Bruce patrolling the outfield together? That would be scary good defensively, and SuperTodd would play third. Question is, would you take that outfield over an outfield with Ludwick or Wiggington in it?

The question you pose would be valid for 2014, not 2013, but it is a serious question. Once Hamilton is ML ready and that decision needs to be addressed, there are a lot more considerations that will come into play. If Super Todd pans out at 3B and fills the role as a cleaup hitter behind Votto, then my prefgerence is to load up the OF with blazing speed that gets on base to set the table at the top of the lineup and move Phillips behind Bruce in the lineup. I have no problem with Did or Cozart hitting 8th and setting up the best DP combo in MLB with Phillips. Let the rest of the NL deal with that lineup and a starting rotation of Cueto, Latos, Chapman, Bailey & whoever steps out from the minor leagues!😈

I can now say that the harsh, crash and burn memories from 2012 have been placed in their proper receptical and recesses and I am VERY ready to move on to 2013 now. The discussions we will enjoy between now and the start of ST are just the meds and therapy I need. I’m ready for Joey (MVP) Votto, Jay (Silver Slugger) Bruce, Brandon (Flashing Leather) Phillips and Todd (Super) Frazier to lead this team to the promised land with a very honorable mention to Ryan Hanigan and the entire pitching staff.

If I recall correctly, Walt was largely mum last winter. The fact that he floats the idea of trading either SS makes me think he is, indeed, up to something. Perhaps this is a way to put pressure on Ludwick to sign early (so that Walt can be more definitive in his assessment of team needs).

Here’s my rationale, Walt knows what he is willing to spend on Ludwick. Moreover, I am thinking that Ludwick’s people know what this figure is. So, Walt floats this idea so that Ludwick (knowing how great GABP is for his bat) makes a decision on the Reds’ offer. If he decides no, then Walt can use the money he was going to spend on Ludwick to fill the RH power spot with either a 3B (Youklis) or an OF. Either way, he has to do this before pursuing a leadoff candidate.

Personally, I prefer Didi over Cozart. We know, for the most part, what Cozart’s offensive ceiling is. If what we see is what we get with Cozart, we know we have a 7 or 8 hitter with (just a little) pop. Gregorius is, from what I understand, just as good with the glove and could still develop into a high OBP guy. If he doesn’t, he is a short term good field/no hit solution at SS. That is largely what is there presently.

From what I can tell, Gregorius and Cozart have (nearly) identical walk rates in the minors. Given that Cozart is going to turn 28 in 2013 and Gregorius 23, I believe that Gregorius has a better chance to turn in to a relatively high (considering the position and the two players we are comparing) OBP guy. In other words, even in the worst case scenario, Gregorius could hardly be worse than Cozart when it comes to OBP. Moreover, working the count and earning walks is a skill that can be learned over time. There is a chance that Gregorius will learn. There is little chance, in my opinion, the Cozart will improve significantly in this regard.

Gregorius has way too low of a walk-rate to expect him to ever become a high OBP guy. Although he certainly fits in the Reds organization in that regard. Reverse Moneyball.

Personally, I prefer Didi over Cozart.We know, for the most part, what Cozart’s offensive ceiling is.If what we see is what we get with Cozart, we know we have a 7 or 8 hitter with (just a little) pop.Gregorius is, from what I understand, just as good with the glove and could still develop into a high OBP guy.If he doesn’t, he is a short term good field/no hit solution at SS.That is largely what is there presently.

Odd, because that’s sort of why I would prefer Cozart over Didi. We know what he can give us. 30+ 2B, 15-20 HR, and very good if not quite excellent defense. A SS who can hit for power. Not to mention I expect Cozart to be a little better now that he’s got a full year under his belt and is over a year removed from Tommy John’s surgery which while it wasn’t on his throwing arm, I still think might have had a small effect.

The Reds have the players to win right now. I don’t think they can afford to take chances on an unknown SS when they have a proven one (final 3 in NL Gold Glove his rookie year).. Cueto is a FA in 2015 and Latos is on in 2016.. gotta win while you have everyone important under contract and Cozart can help do that right now.

I agree that “win now” is the mantra. That is precisely why I would trade Cozart. If I recall correctly, there was universal agreement within the organization that Gregorius was the best defensive SS in camp last year. Given that 2 of Cozart’s 2.7 WAR came from defense, I believe Gregorius can approach (if not match or even exceed) Cozart’s 2.7. If moving Cozart brings a leadoff hitting outfielder or other valuable piece, I would gladly take a push at SS.

Moreover, Gregorius is 22 years old. Cozart is 27. Cozart’s defense will decline at some point in the near(er) future while Gregorius’s defense either improves or holds steady. Also, Gregorius may still develop to be something more than .9 WAR (Cozart’s oWAR) at the plate. If he does not, then he is a short-term solution. Either way, I seriously doubt that Cozart is anything more than a three year, marginal fill at SS. I just think that if Walt can add value to the team by moving Cozart, the loss at SS will be negligible and well-worth moving Cozart.

Odd, because that’s sort of why I would prefer Cozart over Didi. We know what he can give us. 30+ 2B, 15-20 HR, and very good if not quite excellent defense. A SS who can hit for power. Not to mention I expect Cozart to be a little better now that he’s got a full year under his belt and is over a year removed from Tommy John’s surgery which while it wasn’t on his throwing arm, I still think might have had a small effect.

The Reds have the players to win right now. I don’t think they can afford to take chances on an unknown SS when they have a proven one (final 3 in NL Gold Glove his rookie year).. Cueto is a FA in 2015 and Latos is on in 2016.. gotta win while you have everyone important under contract and Cozart can help do that right now.

I love Zack Cozart. I think he’s spectacular. With that said, depending what he could net us in a trade, I’d be very open to dealing him. I know the article said landing Walt a leadoff guy, and I believe that. But Cozart, or Gregorious for that matter, would be a very nice second piece for a big blockbuster with a couple of those teams listed above. I know, for instance, that the Athletics have a plethora of outfielders. Cozart could begin a nice deal for Josh Reddick, who I’m afraid to even speculate at the ridiculous numbers he would put up at GABP. We all know the story about the Diamondbacks and Upton. The Rays and Longoria. The Twins with Willingham. Shoot, make a package deal with the Twins for Revere and Willingham, Cozart, Stubbs and Leake. If Walt is truly thinking he’s going to deal one his shortstops, then the prospects for what could happen this winter have just expanded greatly. Very exciting.

@ToddAlmighty: That’s a pretty compelling argument for Cozart. And yes, you have to figure his one flaw (his walk rate) will improve slightly as he learns the league. Didi’s bat may have more upside in it, but the floor is lacking at the moment. Can’t afford that in a lineup with Drew Stubbs and the pitcher.

I’d like to see the organization trade Didi. I think his net would be more useful than him playing in AAA. (Can’t be a Horst/Valdez type trade though. Wouldn’t be talking closer is Horst wasn’t traded.)

Didi plus two more for Josh Reddick? A’s love cheap players and need a SS.

rafy00: Reddick would be a fabulous addition. I watched quite a bit of the A’s toward the end of the season, and the way Reddick hit himself out of a slump was impressive. He’s level headed and what a nice swing.

BTW – Read somewhere in here that we know what Cozart brings to the plate. I disagree. Cozart has hit at every level including the majors. Move him down in the order and you’ll see his bat come alive. While I believe Didi has more upside defensively, I don’t see it being enough to push Cozart’s bat out of the lineup.

BTW – Read somewhere in here that we know what Cozart brings to the plate.I disagree.Cozart has hit at every level including the majors.Move him down in the order and you’ll see his bat come alive.While I believe Didi has more upside defensively …

TC: I agree about Cozart’s hitting. That is, that he can and will hit better batting lower in the lineup. Overall I love the guy. But I’m with others here, that he’s expendable for the right return.
I also like Didi. His defense is otherworldly and he can develop into a pesky hitter. Already he was not overmatched or intimidated by major league pitching.

@hermanbates: That Tulowitzki trade is interesting because the Reds would still keep Gregorius, so you could essentially move Tulo to 3rd, Frazier to LF, and allow Gregorius to a chance to show off his glove at SS. What a defensive infield that would be! Re-signing Ludwick would not be needed, so that would help offset part of the salary bump in bringing in Tulo.

@rfay00: The trade for Reddick is also interesting, because if you look at his traditional hitting statistics, he’s basically a right-handed mirror image of Jay Bruce. He’s got a rocket for an arm, and plays an unbelievable RF.

IF, the Reds could swing the Tulo trade, and then flip Gregorius for Eaton… a bit farfetched, but hmmmm…

There’s one constant and that’s Phillips playing 2B with a new SS every year. With that said, I can see Cozart being traded with Didi taking over. It would make sense. I really don’t care about SS because either one of those two guys is fine. I simply want a new CF and/or Leadoff guy. No more Stubbs. Oh darn, Valdez and Bray are gone! Cry myself to sleep tonight.

The Tulo thing is a bit out of the box, but the money factor is what makes this very thing possible. The Rockies are starting over. They won’t be relevant for a few years, at which point Tulo is falling out of his prime. BUT, it is definitely unlikely. The point is, however, that there are a lot of things that can happen. Tulowitzki or Longoria? Probably not likely, but the point is it can be realistic. The reds have a lot of wiggle room right now. And a world of possibilities.

@Hermanbates I get that the Rockies are starting over, but how are you going to account for the salaries of Votto, Bruce, Phillips, Cueto, Chapman, and Latos (as he enters arbitration) and then acquire Tulu on a 90 million dollar payroll? There is no way. Besides that Tulu sustained an injury that will likely hurt his lateral quickness. Moving him to 3rd will definitely decrease his value.

If were not going to use Didi/Cozart at SS I would rather inquire about the availability of Elvis Andrus; much more practical (from $ standpoint) than acquiring Tulu. Longoria has the most team friendly contract in professional sports-Rays will never part with him.

And so ends the saga of the Kearns/Lopez trade to the G’Nats for damaged goods. I guess all those here who bitched and cussed over that trade can at least take comfort in the fact that Bray was the last man standing. On one leg and on the DL.

Nice to see my Reddick idea seemed to grab the attention of some here.

I think it’s a capable deal, the A’s have tons of OF players, where the Reds only have a few good ones. Someone like Reddick, or even Cespedes (contract is much higher though) from the A’s would be another big deal the Reds need.

The needs matchup too. The A’s don’t have a promising catching prospect or a SS. Calling Cozart and Mesoraco. Add some A or AA prospects in there and boom, welcome Josh Reddick and one of their bullpen pitchers over to the Reds.

@rfay00: I doubt that we would need to offer up Mes in the deal and still get it done. Leake and Cozart probably get it done. The A’s love young pitchers, and Leake would be awesome in the Coliseum. Do we get a reliever in this deal, probably not. But Cozart and Leake for Reddick, who I’m sure could man left, or even potentially push Bruce over there. I love the Reddick idea. He put up almost 40 homers playing half his games in Oakland…we’d fall in love with him. And he’s reportedly a great locker room guy, but with guys like LeCure and Frazier, our locker room should stay pretty tight with anyone. Except perhaps Milton Bradley…

I can understand dealing one of them very well. But, I wouldn’t deal one to get a rental CF until Hamilton is ready; only if the player can go to left or right would I consider doing that. I would be looking more for a starting 3rd baseman, LF, starting pitcher (maybe something like a package trade with Leake or Bailey; I’m not convinced on Bailey yet, and I’m not done with Leake yet; one good year by one, one bad year by another; I would have no problem giving each another shot), or closer.

I said after last season that last off season and this off season will be interesting. There may be players leaving that people don’t want to see leave. Last season, it was Grandal and Alonso. Who will it be this year? People will need to prepare themselves.

I still say the things we need:

1) Answer CF. Again, I don’t see a 1-2 year rental picked up off a trade for one of the SS. Maybe something else, yes.

2) Answer LF/3rd. I combine these because of Frazier’s ability to play both. Will/won’t Ludwick be back? Will/won’t Rolen be back? If both come back, are we going to limit Frazier to a Rolen backup again? Or, have him float all over the field each day? I can’t help thinking he would go nuts trying to set up for defense each day.

3) Answer leadoff/cleanup. These could be dependent upon the first 2 items I listed.

4) Answer C. I like Devin and Hanigan. But, I do believe Devin was mishandled. If Devin is our “future”, a “future” who has nothing else left to prove at AAA, then he needs to play most of the time up here or he needs to be let go. Again, I like both Devin and Hanigan. But, only one can play the most. I do believe Devin’s ability was hurt last season while he was just sitting on the bench. The Reds either need to commit to him as C most of the time, hoping Hanigan will take being backup C. Or, commit to Hanigan and let Devin go.

5) Answer closer. I still say Chapman should stay at closer myself. If we do move him to starter, I want to see how he does pitching more than 4 innings at a time. As well as, what about his innings limit? Are we going to see a “Strausberg” (spelling?) done with Chapman? Just because he started in Cuba doesn’t mean he can now do it here just because he last did it 4+ years ago.

@steveschoen: On the catching situation….
I agree that how Meso was used last year early hurt his development. If he wasn’t going to play everyday at the MLB level he should have been playing everyday at AAA.

I do not agree that there is no purpose to be served by having Meso at AAA to start 2013. Anybody that shows the mediocrity he demonstrated at the MLB level over 2/3 of a season has plenty to work on in their individual game and the best place for that is AAA. Meso was a very mediocre player in the minors for three years then seemed to have the light flash on for the 2010 season and progressed all the way from high A to AAA by the season’s end. He followed that up with a solid to outstanding full year at AAA in 2011. He needs to reestablish for himself and the org that the 2010/2011 Meso was the real deal.

I think the Reds most likely immediate future direction was shown by how they handled the catching situation in September. They will sign two guys like Navarro (one of who may or may not be Navarro himself). One will turn out to be the second catcher on the MLB roster. The other will be the de facto #3 but play in the minors unless needed (possibly AA instead of AAA, read on to see why).

Meso will be the everyday catcher at AAA unless he he has an absolute world beater of a spring.

Of the OF/LO players mentioned above, Eaton is the one who clearly stands out. If you can swing him for Cozart, do it now, and tell Hamilton to go find his SS glove again. It would be the perfect storm for Dusty proofing the batting order. With Hamilton and Eaton getting on in front of Votto, he’d win the RBI every year.

I have no interest what so ever in Josh Reddick. He’s a younger version of Lance Nix.

Also, I’ve seen very few players learn on base skills after reaching the majors. If someone come across a study showing otherwise, I’d love to see it. So I’d give Didi a very slim chance of becoming better at getting on base than Cozart. Cozart’s power gives him a definite edge over Didi at the plate.

The point I was trying to make with regard to OBP and Cozart/Gregorius is that it is doubtful that Gregorius will have a worse OBP than Cozart if given the chance to play every day. Moreover, there is still a chance (be it a good one or a slim one) that Gregorius will get better at working counts and drawing walks. He is, after all, 22 years old (while Cozart will be 28 next season).

Also, I’ve seen very few players learn on base skills after reaching the majors.If someone come across a study showing otherwise, I’d love to see it.So I’d give Didi a very slim chance of becoming better at getting on base than Cozart.Cozart’s power gives him a definite edge over Didi at the plate.

I love Eaton’s strikeout to walk ratio and his OBP. Having a player like him at the top of the line-up would be a significant change.
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A significant change in team philosophy as well. Our manager disdains walks and OBP. When has anybody anywhere in the organization ever talked about such things? I think it will require sheer luck to wind up with a player who has the “tools” they value, but who also just happens to be good at getting on base [cough Votto cough].

As for catchers, I’ve said this before, but given the physical demands and wear and tear of the position, I really think the day of the “everyday” catcher is almost over, and tandems are going to be the norm. Exceptional offensive players will be shunted away from the position – The Nats couldn’t get Harper out from behind the plate fast enough. Buster Poseys are going to be rarer and rarer. And we’ll see how long he continues to wear the mask.

Get Adam Eaton. If it takes Cozart and another prospect. I’d take Ben Revere too, he’s got some serious wheels and can hit, but Eaton is a local guy and would draw more fans to the games. We’re not talking about a hit and miss prospect either.

I believe Eaton would be a good rental type player. Not enough to assure he would be successful. But, he can’t be much worse than Stubbs. Again, what we lose in defense, I believe we gain in offense. We may even be able to set it up straight Eaton for Stubbs.

I believe Eaton would be a good rental type player. Not enough to assure he would be successful. But, he can’t be much worse than Stubbs. Again, what we lose in defense, I believe we gain in offense. We may even be able to set it up straight Eaton for Stubbs.

I mean not enough experience to guarantee he would be successful. But, given what we are probably banking on (Hamilton eventually in there), getting a successful player (like Bourn) would cost money. Uncle Bob?

My bet is Revere is high on WJ’s list. He hits well and makes contact. He batted .290 and only 50 or 60-some K’s in over 540 AB’s. 40 SB’s. Very good defensive OF. Can lead off or hit 2nd. He’ll be 25 next May. 4 more years of team control.
I’d also keep Cozart. He is just getting started and is going to be a good one. Gregorius can bring in a Reds need in return. Another very good SS from the college ranks in next years draft can replace the SS depth and not miss a beat. .

If the Reds were able to land Eaton, I don’t believe he has to be viewed as holding a spot for Hamilton or that Hamilton has to go back to SS. If Eaton and Hamilton can deliver on their promise, an outfield of Bruce/Eaton/Hamilton would be tremendous offensively. Hamilton had a .406 OBP last year. Eaton has a career minor league OBP of .4freakin56.

If the need is to fill SS, the Reds can try Hamilton there. But his fielding is questionable at that position. If they have a decent SS, the Reds shouldn’t shy from putting him in the OF and should continue to give him more playing time there while in the minors.

Adam Eaton is as good defensively as Drew Stubbs. He has a terrific arm. The offense wouldn’t even be an argument there. I don’t know if Arizona would part with him, they’d probably rather move Gerardo Parra, who isn’t shabby either and I wouldn’t mind seeing him come over in a trade, but Eaton is the guy to get. If you don’t think so, check out some of his minor league numbers and some highlights of his plays this year on mlb.com.

Three years in the minor leagues and one September call up to the bigs is not a lengthy resume to build upon, but Eaton looks like as solid a prospect as any unproven, successful minor league player, but he is still unproven right now as a major league player, despite his cup of coffee last season. As I said to start the conversation, I’m all in but he is not a player to overpay for in a trade.

I also noticed that a contract extension for Headley was being estimated at $40MM for 4 years and that’s as a 1st year arbitration eligible player, wow! SD & Josh Byrnes have a tough decision ahead of them with team control through 2014 and FA in 2015, but that would get them through Headley’s arbitration years and buy 2 year post arbitration. If they don’t jump at that deal, they are pretty much declaring that they intend to move Headley before the 2014 season. He’s affordable in arbitration this year, but he will be expensive, even in arbitration, next year.

I like Revere if you can get him for one of our SS, OR Leake, but not both.

Lastly, I would drop Cairo immediately and go get Jeff Keppinger for that role. He is a guy who is actually a threat at the plate and can play multiple positions. Not a great fielder but certainly adequate with the glove and he has always been able to hit, and is about 40 years younger than Cairo!

If a trade for Eaton doesn’t pan out, how about Cozart to the Tigers for Dirk & Downs? Dirk can play CF, not GG caliber CF but adequate, and can lead off. Downs is a young LRP with a good split as a LOOGY. That would leave a run producing LF or 3B or a top of the order LF or 3B along with a closer as the only real needs to fill. I’m not real excited about Dirk due to his low BB rate at the ML level, but he is young and had a slightly higher BB rate in the minors. Dirk also has a little pop and could possibly shift over to LF in 2014 if necessary